Pet Rats: Essential Care & Surprising Facts for Happy, Healthy Pets

I have had many pet rats and I love them! They are smart and interactive! They do have some health problems though. Upper respiratory issues are very common so you will always want to use a dust free litter like Care Fresh and keep their cage SUPER clean! You also see a lot of cancer which is unfortunate. About 2 years is the average life expectancy. Make sure to get 2 or more rats of all the same sex. Females tend to be more active then males but both are sweet. Females also tend to get along a little better than the males. I approve your decision!

Hello. Pet rats do not require vaccinations, and there is a wealth of information available on the safe & healthy way to maintain your new pets. The best place to start is the place you plan on purchasing the rats. If this is a bigger store, like a Petco, they will have handouts & books & manuals to purchase. You can call some of the veterinarians in your area to ask if they see rats, as a good exam is important. I will caution you to make sure the rats you decide to buy seem to be healthy. Do not bring home any animals that seem unwell, unkempt, sneezing or have any discolorations around the eyes or nose, a clear sign of an upper respiratory infection. The cages should be clean, the animals active & filled out. Rats do not require a lot, but they are very intelligent creatures & a lot of fun. Good luck & thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Sneezing is a sign of an upper respiratory infection i rats, the vast majority of rats carry the disease and many of them will develop symptoms at some point in their life. i would recommend calling the Petco store you bought her from, they should be taking care of the treatment and the treatment cost as well, she will need a course of antibiotics in order to get better.

The biggest thing you can do is spend time with them. Rats are very smart and they enjoy time with their humans. They can be trained to do many tricks. They like to climb. Offer them a variety of play things (from tubes, to a sand box to a climbing area) and switch things from time to time. Here is also a link which may help: https://www.petcoach.co/article/toys-and-other-environmental-enrichment-for-rats-and-mice/ Please feel free to post any additional questions.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Ferrets make excellent pets as they like to interact with humans and other ferrets, are naturally playful, and accept a variety of foods. However, it is important to keep their home cage clean as they have a faster intestinal transit time (meaning up to 4 bowel movements per day) and make sure that your home is “ferret-proofed” to avoid foreign body obstructions and injuries. You should also make sure that your city allows ferrets to be kept as pets, as they are illegal in certain areas. Good luck with your potential new pet!

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Kidneys in mammals have some key functions including filtering toxins from the blood from normal metabolism/drug use, saving vital chemicals like electrolytes/fluids, etc and some hormone production.

First, you should have her examined by your veterinarian to rule out illness or injury. Second, feed a healthy diet of a block or pelleted diet for rodents supplemented with fresh fruits and vegetables. Provide plenty of chewing toys to keep her teeth trim. Once all this has been done, you can use positive reinforcement (treats and praise) to get her to answer to her name or perform tricks. It will take patience and consistency. http://ratguide.com/care/behavior/training_playtime.php

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